Losing weight without calorie counting is the best long-term approach to a healthy and ideal body weight.
No one is disputing that the less calories you eat, the more weight you will lose (given a constant physical activity level). However, losing weight for good is much easier with a fundamental change in foods consumed, foods which actually require that you consume much more food weight on your diet plan than you do now.
Can you imagine being told to eat more food in order to lose weight? We are talking about food that weighs a lot, food that is dense, fiber rich and nutritious. Nothing else will satiate quite as well. Think of a whole pound of broccoli, for example, the central part of your dinner entree, steamed and sprinkled with butter and sunflower seeds.
Tiny portions and calorie counters are the opposite of this logic, and will never satisfy or satiate.
Very few studies have actually been done on this (because no corporate or pharmaceutical pill-popping dieting product stands to gain anything from such studies and hence will not sponsor them), but the secret to permanent weight loss is to eat the healthiest foods. And to eat lots of them!
A recent study at Pennsylvania State University asked dieters to eat lots of foods that were heavy in water and fiber (fruits and vegetables) and to not count calories or fat grams. The people that followed this regiment lost more weight than the control group who were asked to count calories and take small portions.
Filling up on vegetables, and not restricting yourself as to how much you eat of these, has got to be the most healthy and painless way to lose weight. Vegetables are so delicious if you give them a good try!
Most people are not aware of the existence of three top vegetables in terms of nutrition and health benefits. These would be kale, swiss chard and collard greens.
These three vegetables are actually much more nutritious than even spinach and broccoli, which are both super foods. Find out where you can buy these nearby. (The organics store is sure to have them, but maybe your local superstore carries them as well).
Once you've bought your kale or spinach chard, wash it, cut it up, throw it in the pot with a little water and let it steam for a few minutes. Add some butter or olive oil and a bit of salt once it's steamed enough for your liking. You'll be amazed how good it tastes and how satisfyingly filling it is.
Try cooking a big serving of oatmeal with fruit for breakfast and making heaps of vegetables the central part of your lunch and dinner (with some brown rice, lentils or chili and nuts or seeds and a small bit of meat or fish) and you will lose mega weight in no time.
I'd be really keen on tracking people's daily progress with this. I'm not qualified to counsel dieters in any medical way, but I do know a lot about healthy eating and would like to provide emotional and informational support. If you are inclined to try this, please comment on your experience below. I will answer your questions in very short order.
